Damen’s first Fishing Seminar to be held in South Africa

Damen Shipyards Cape Town, 22 November 2018

Damen will hold its first Fishing Seminar in Cape Town, South Africa on 22 November in recognition of this important industry. To be held at Damen Shipyards Cape Town, the event brings together leading companies, the government and other stakeholders.

Damen is aiming to create a platform whereby the industry can come together with the government and exchange information about the latest developments in the sector and the new technologies and innovative ideas driving the growth of a sustainable fishing industry. Other major topics to be addressed include the progress of the fleet renewal programme and available financing vehicles for the industry.

Representatives from the Department of Trade & Industry and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), and leading industry figures will take part.

Sam Montsi, Chairman of Damen Shipyards Cape Town, comments: “As it is clearly indicated in the White Paper for National Management of the Ocean, South Africa is a maritime nation with jurisdiction over one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones in the world. Our ocean space is resource-rich and relatively pristine environment.

“We have seen an increase in the usage of our maritime resources in our ocean space over time, and this is a good indication of the potential maritime economic opportunities that can be unlocked in the future. Additionally, the challenge of our aging fishing fleet as stipulated by Operation Phakisa is a concern for the future of the industry and needs to be addressed, for both the survival of the fishing industry and for the retention of the jobs it creates.

“We need to be innovative in order to address these challenges and continuous engagement between the industry and government is of paramount importance in order to ensure the continuous growth of the industry. Damen Shipyard Cape Town is well positioned to support industry and government players in this sector”

South Africa has a vibrant fishing industry boasting 22 commercial, fish-related sectors. The fishery sector employs more than 26,500 people in the commercial sector, and the industry is estimated to be worth R6 billion per year (Sea Harvest Report May 2017).

Given the important role the fisheries industry plays in the South African economy, Damen believes its first seminar is a great opportunity for the various stakeholders to network and we are sure there will be plenty of interesting debates and new ideas discussed. Damen will also be presenting its own vessel financing solutions, which includes a dedicated lease fund specifically designed for the African market.

The programme kicks off at 09.00am with guest registration at Damen Shipyards Cape Town (programme attached). After the speeches there will be time for questions and the afternoon session will be followed by a tour of Damen Shipyards Cape Town and a cocktail hour.

Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) builds ships in Africa for Africa. To date, the yard has constructed & delivered 40 vessels to the African continent from its base in Cape Town, including offshore patrol vessels, dredgers, tugs, naval craft and platform supply vessels, some of which have been built for stock in order to ensure fast delivery. The DSCT Services & Repairs department has provided training, delivery, maintenance & repairs assistance to countries across the globe and especially to African countries seeking to source high quality services from South Africa.

Through thorough research, on-going evaluations and customer feedback, DSCT’s vessels are of the highest international quality standards and provide customers with the assurance of generations of proven high-tech commercial off-the-shelf (C.O.T.S) vessels.

DSCT has a well-established Apprenticeship Training Centre which is accredited by MerSETA and ChietaSETA. Apprentices selected for the Apprenticeship Training Centre program have the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills in order to achieve artisan status in Welding, Boiler Making, Pipe Fitting or Electrical and they are provided with a job opportunity at the same time. The first, second and third year apprentices are productive on the shop floor under the mentorship of qualified artisans until they pass their Trade Test. Once qualified, all apprentices have the opportunity to be absorbed into the business as artisans. To date, DSCT has trained 63 Apprentices of which 19 are female. DSCT’s Apprenticeship Training Centre is the true reflection of the yard’s commitment to the South African Governments economic initiative, known as Operation Phakisa, which aims to reach the potential of the South African Maritime Sector, including shipbuilding, and to accelerate economic growth and job creation.

Damen Shipyards Group

Damen Shipyards Group operates 35 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 12,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 6,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 160 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.

Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.

For nearly all vessel types Damen offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, winches, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.

Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC) has a worldwide network of eighteen repair and conversion yards of which twelve are located in North West Europe. Facilities at the yards include more than 50 floating and (covered) drydocks, the largest of which is 420 x 90 metres, as well as slopes, ship lifts and indoor halls. Projects range from the smallest simple repairs through Class’ maintenance to complex refits and the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,300 repair and maintenance jobs annually, both at yards as well as in ports and during voyages.